‘How Nigeria can overcome infrastructural challenges’

Former Lagos Commissioner for Budget and Planning Dr. Ismail Adewusi has listed ways Nigeria could overcome the comatose state of her infrastructural facilities.

His panacea includes transparent system of private sector participation, diversification of sources of power, independence of the infrastructural regulatory commissions and strict adherence to the rule of law in all government activities and interventions as well as political will on the side of political office holders.

Adewusi, who is the Chairman, WEMABOD Estates Limited, spoke on the theme: “Infrastructural Development as Key Factor to National Growth” at the monthly guest forum of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan.

Highlighting the myriads of infrastructural problems confronting the country as well as lamenting the comatose state of infrastructural facilities in Nigeria, Adewusi, who was a governorship aspirant in last year’s general election in the state, said Nigeria must follow the footsteps of other countries embracing the private sector funding of infrastructure.

In accomplishing the goal, the economist-cum-lawyer said government at all levels must be ready to play by the rules of the game, if it wants foreigners and local private sector player to invest in infrastructural development with confidence.

Lamenting the poor state of infrastructure in Nigeria, Adewusi said: “The state of infrastructure in Nigeria currently does not meet the requirement for economic development. On average, virtually all aspects of Nigerian infrastructure are in deplorable condition. Huge sums have been budgeted and said to have been spent on infrastructure with nothing to show due to corruption.

“On a more general note, Nigeria’s infrastructure has almost totally crumbled. In many urban areas, water supply, sewage, sanitation, drainage, roads, electricity, waste disposal are virtually non-existent.

“Maintenance of the partially existing ones is zero. All these are being compounded by the twin problems of rapid population growth and urbanisation. Yet, development of infrastructure is a categorical imperative for economic development and socio-economic empowerment of the citizenry.”

In his well-researched lecture, Adewusi focused on roads, railways, aviation and power, concluding that infrastructure is largely inadequate in the country. He reeled out data showing that Nigeria falls far below average for low-income countries in Africa, puncturing the reference to Nigeria as the giant of Africa. He emphasised that adequate infrastructure iskey to national and economic development.

In his panacea for the myriads of infrastructural problems, Adewusi said it was obvious that the government could not fully fund infrastructural development. He lauded the concessioning and privatisation approaches.

Adewusi urged the government to explore alternative power sources to overcome the current power problems in the country.

“Government needs to diversify the sources of power generation from gas, coal and renewable like hydro power. There should be legislation to support renewable power like wind and solar. Government offices and buildings should run on solar power, especially in the night. Residential and commercial buildings in elitist areas should run on solar power,” he said.

Earlier, the Deputy Director (News) of the radio station, Mr. Lere Afolabi, while welcoming the lecturer, said the choice of the topic was informed by the deplorable state of infrastructure in Nigeria, adding that it was part of the agenda-setting role of the media.